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Be More Productive Online With 7 Google Chrome Start Page Extensions

March 29th, 2010 | No Comments

What’s the first thing you do when you start up your web browser? If you’re like me, you’ll see a number of tabs from the last time you were browsing. Or perhaps a single homepage. Â Many of us take the time to customize these options, because we have certain preferences for what we like to see when we first get down to browsing.

Now let me ask you another question – what do you see when you open a new tab? Many people don’t customize this, and see the default that comes with their browser. The Google Chrome Default New Tab “Speed Dial” Page is nice, and I personally prefer it to having a blank new tab (which was what I had for a long time with Firefox). Â However, I wasn’t completely satisfied with it – so I went looking for different options to customize it.

In this article, I’ll show you some different extensions to customize your new tab/start page – as well as reveal to you my personal favorite.

Empty New Tab Page

What Does It Do? Replaces your chrome default new tab with a totally blank page.
Why Is It Cool? Don’t want everyone to see your speed dial page? Â Constantly tempted with your Â favorite websites when you’re working? Go back to the good old days of blank tabs.
Where Can I Get It? Check it out, Empty New Tab Page.

New Tab With Google Tasks

What Does It Do? Replaces your chrome default new tab with your Google Tasks.
Why Is It Cool? Need regular reminder for what you have to work on? Â Check out this extension, and you’ll see your tasks all the time.
Where Can I Get It? Check it out here:Â New Tab To Tasks.

New Tab With Clock

What Does It Do? Replaces your chrome default new tab with a page showing just the time, or the time and the current project you are working on.
Why Is It Cool? Never lose track of time mindlessly web browsing again! You’ll constantly be reminded what time it is.
Where Can I Get It? Comes in two varieties, the simple one you see above: Â New Tab with Clock andÂ New Tab With Clock and Current Project Entry (which includes a text box for a single task or project you are working on).

New Tab Favorites

What does it do? New Tab Favorites replaces the chrome default new tab with a page listing your selection of websites.
Why Is It Cool? You can easily manage the list to fit it to your own needs. Â You may be able to do this with the regular Google Chrome page, but some may prefer the interface of this extension.
Where Can I Get It? Check it out here:Â New Tab Favorites.

Fav4 New Tab Page

What Does It Do? A beautiful, simple new tab that shows large icons for 4 sites that you specify.
Why Is It Cool? Most of us visit the same websites over and over. This provides a simple way to navigate to those common websites, and you can even use keyboard shortcuts (1,2,3,4). Â Did I mention it looks great?
Where Can I Get It? Check it out here, Fav4 New Tab Page.

Incredible StartPage – Productive Start Page for Chrome

What Does It Do? A beautifully designed, powerful start page featuring your bookmarks, recently closed tabs, and even a little area to leave yourself notes.
Why Is It Cool? Contains the most options of any start page I’ve seen, and looks great to boot. Currently my favorite start page.
Where Can I Get It? Check it out here, Incredible Start Page.

Things To Do

What Does It Do? A simple extension that replaces the new tab page with a to do list. Add it and watch your productivity soar!
Why Is It Cool? No fancy graphics or widgets to distract you, this intuitively designed start page helps keep you on task. Â This is the start page I used for a long time, to help me keep track of short term tasks as I was browsing/researching.
Where Can I Get It? Check it out here, Things To Do.

Customize Your New Tab to Any Page

There are a variety of start pages out there, and you may prefer to set your new tab page to something else entirely. Â There are a number of different options for that, you can check some of these out to find one you like:

What Do You Think?

What are your thoughts? Do you care about what your new tab shows? Any extensions or options you’d like to share?

Sid Savara is a a lifehacking fanatic. Visit Sid’s website for more information about how to get motivated and analysis driven personal development. Sign up for his newsletter and pick up a copy of his free motivational quotes book, The Little Book Of Big Motivational Quotes.

6 Websites To Help You Get Out Of The House And Find Something To Do

February 8th, 2010 | No Comments

Have you just moved to a new town? Are you a couch potato? Or have your friends decided they don’t want to do anything this weekend? Have no fear, the internet is here! Â We’ll get you out of the house yet with these six websites.

Six Places Online To Find Something To Do

Craigslist. Â The grand daddy of all websites to help you get out of the house. Â Classes? Check. Events? Check. Just friends? Check. More than friends? No problem. Â I use Craigslist all the time – my favorite sections to post are “strictly platonic” when I’m looking for tennis and hiking buddies, and in the “musicians” section when looking for fellow band mates. Â Whatever you’re looking for, Craigslist has you covered. Â I’ve even made friends with people after purchasing used tennis rackets and guitars, and some of my best friends have been random people I’ve met on Craigslist. Â I have friends in different cities through Craigslist to this day – some of whom I met as many as seven years ago!
Meetup. Â Meetup is awesome – they have well organized events, you can see who is attending, and you will often see the same regulars at event after event so you can build a relationship. Â I’m involved in about a dozen Meetup groups, although I don’t attend many events – but I love being able to see what’s being planned and having the option of attending. Many cities have dedicated “New In Town” Meetup groups, and whenever I’ve attended I’ve found them to be welcoming – and a great place to meet people when I’ve first arrived.
Twtvite. Â A relative newcomer, Twtvite uses Twitter to publicize events and RSVPs. Â You don’t even need a Twitter account to use it, you canÂ just show up – but you’ll want to get on Twitter so you can keep in touch with all the cool people you meet. Â Just go to the site to see what’s being organized in your town and to see who’s attending. Â As I was writing this I went to check it out and found an event one of my friends was organizing,Â that 30 people are attending. Â Instant things to do, instant Twitter followers and instant new real life friends.
Myspace Shows. I love discovering new music, so whenever I move to a new city, this is one of the first sites I pull up. Not only does it help me find local music, it also helps me meet people, because I can find people at the concerts that likely are similar to me. Â If nothing else, the people I meet have the same taste in music. It also gives me an excuse to check out bars I may not normally visit. One night when I was living in Maui, I had nothing to do so I found an acoustic musician playing a solo show in a tiny little bar in Kihei. Â I decided to check it out, and I was blown away. Â He was amazing, and since then we’ve remained good friends – and I’ve introduced many of my friends to his music. Â I also check out Ticketmaster since they tend to have lots of concerts listed as well, but generally not as many as Myspace Shows – and I also have a harder time meeting people at large concerts compared to smaller local shows.
Metromix. Â A Â great source for club parties and local bar events, Metromix is slick and polished. Â They have lots of pictures and information about the venues, so you can make a decision about where to spend your evening. Â The downside is they tend to be focused on nightlife, so you may have a harder time finding daytime events.
Facebook Events. This requires slightly more work which is why it’s last. Â Whenever a friend invites me to an event on Facebook, I take a look at who the organizer for the event is and check out their Facebook profile. Â Over time I’ve found about a dozen people – local DJs, bartenders, etc. – who constantly post new events to Facebook to get the word out. Â The result is that now on any given night, there are usually one or two events I can see going on on Facebook. Â Since I can see who is organizing events as well, I can often get on guest lists for free or reduced cover charge.